A rail system of this kind conventionally has a structure for connecting rail ends, for example, as that proposed by Japanese Utility Model Application Laid-Open No. 53-115586. Speaking concretely, this structure consists of a rail for power line which is composed of an I-shaped member and, a pair of right and left rails for a free line which are composed of C-shaped members having openings opposed to each other: these rails being bound with intermediate coupling yokes at required intervals and connected at ends thereof with connecting yokes.
The connecting yoke has, inside both lower ends thereof, integral portions which are bent so as to extend or protrude perpendicularly therefrom. In a condition where rear surfaces of the rails for the free line are kept in contact with inside surfaces of the protruding portions, they are welded by utilizing edges of the protruding portions, whereby the connecting yoke is connected to the rails for the free line with an outside surface of the connecting yoke flush with end surfaces of the rails for the free line. Further, the rail for the power line is similarly connected to the connecting yoke by utilizing a reinforcing rib plate or a similar member.
In a longitudinal direction of the rails, the ends of the rails are connected by connecting members consisting of bolts and nuts through communicating run-through slots while keeping the outside surfaces of two connecting yokes in contact with each other.
However, the conventional structure for connecting the rails ends requires two kinds of yokes: the connecting yoke having the protruding portions and an intermediate binding yoke having no protruding portions, whereby the yokes, the connecting yokes in particular, require tedious manufacturing procedures and a special device for bending the protruding portions. Further, the welding utilizing the edges of the protruding portions includes a step for welding along a long weld line in the longitudinal direction, thereby requiring a long time.
Furthermore, to connect the rails in the longitudinal direction while keeping the outside surfaces thereof in contact with each other, the rails can hardly be connected with desired precision since both the connecting yokes have been deformed due to strain produced by welding. Though the rails are subjected to stress releasing, it requires rather a long time.
In addition, a rail system of this kind has a structure for binding upper and lower rails which has a configuration disclosed, for example, by Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 58-44044. In this structure, a power rail composed of an I-shaped member, and a pair of free rails composed of C-shaped members having openings opposed to each other are disposed; these rails being bound with coupling frames at required intervals.
In the conventional binding structure for the upper and lower rails described above, however, each of the rails is connected to the coupling frames by welding and it is not easy to weld the rails while keeping a high precision. Further, the rails can hardly be connected to each other with a desired precision.
Disclosure of the Invention
It is therefore a first object of the present invention to provide a rail system for carrier equipment which is configured so that intermediate and end yoke members can be shaped in the same form having no bent portions, and welded firmly in a small number of directions and along short weld lines, and rails can be connected with high precision by utilizing the end yoke members with substantially no stress releasing.
Further, it is a second object of the present invention to provide a rail system for carrier equipment which is configured so as to permit binding upper and lower rails easily, speedily and precisely by way of the yoke members.
For accomplishing the first object described above, the present invention provides a rail system for carrier equipment which has a structure for connecting rails by way of the yoke members characterized in that the yoke member is composed of a flat plate in which slots for coupling implements are formed, the yoke members are fixed to rail ends at locations where welding margins are left within end surfaces of the rails by welding the yoke members utilizing the welding margins, and yoke members for a pair of rails having end surfaces opposed to each other are coupled by way of connecting implements passing through slots for coupling implements.
The rail system according to the present invention having the configuration described above makes it possible to configure the yoke members for connecting ends of a plurality of rails in a shape which is the same as that of yoke members for binding intermediate portions of the rails, or in a planar plate-like shape which is not bent and has slots formed at predetermined locations for passing connecting implements, thereby facilitating the manufacture of the yoke members. The rails can be coupled by way of the yoke members before they are connected. More specifically, the rails can be coupled easily, speedily and firmly by welding predetermined locations of the intermediate and end yoke members to predetermined surfaces of the rails in a small number of directions and along short weld lines. At this stage, the end yoke members can be fixed by welding at locations where welding margins are left within end surfaces of the rails.
At a stage to couple a divided rail system thus formed to another divided rail system, i.e., at a stage to couple an end yoke member to another end yoke member with the coupling implements in a condition where end surfaces of the rails are opposed to each other (in contact with each other), the end yokes can be coupled by way of the coupling implements passing through the slots formed therefor with intermediate members interposed at predetermined locations between outside surfaces of the end yoke members. Since the intermediate members which fill the welding margins are interposed between the outside end surfaces of the end yoke members, coupling forces of the coupling implements act on the intermediate member or do not act on the end surfaces of the rails and the end yoke members which are liable to be deformed, thereby making it possible to easily, speedily and precisely connect the rails by way of the end yoke members and the coupling implements with substantially no stress releasing.
A first preferable embodiment of the present invention is characterized in that it uses washers welded to the yoke members as the intermediate members filling the welding margins.
The first embodiment allows the coupling forces of the coupling implements to act locally on the yoke member through the washers welded to the predetermined locations of the yoke member.
A second preferable embodiment of the present invention is characterized in that it uses, as the intermediate members filling the welding margins, spacers which are disposed between the yoke members and fill welding margins on both sides.
The second embodiment permits the spacers being interposed in a free condition between the end yoke members at a stage to couple the end yoke members with the coupling implements and allows the coupling forces of the coupling implements to act locally on the end yoke member through a spacer which are thick enough to fill the welding margins and disposed at each coupling location.
A third preferable embodiment of the present invention is characterized in that a plurality of slots for coupling implements are formed in the yoke members, and a plurality of intermediate members are thick enough to fill welding margins on both sides and welded to one of the yoke members.
The third embodiment permits, at a stage to couple the end yoke members, the intermediate members to be interposed between the end yoke members in a condition where they are welded to either of the end yoke members, and allows coupling forces of the coupling implements to act locally on the end yoke members by way of a spacer thick enough to fill both the welding margins and disposed at each coupling location.
Further, a fourth preferable embodiment of the present invention is characterized in that a plurality of slots for coupling implements are formed in the yoke member, and a plurality of intermediate members are thick enough to fill welding margins on both sides and welded to either of the two yoke members.
The fourth embodiment allows, at a stage to couple the yoke members with the coupling implements, the intermediate members to be interposed between the end yoke members in a condition where the intermediate members are welded collectively to either one of the yoke members and a coupling force of the coupling implement acts locally on the end yoke members through a spacer thick enough to fill both the welding margins and disposed at each coupling location.
Furthermore, a fifth preferable embodiment of the present invention is characterized in that it comprises a first rail which supports and guides a driving body using a chain for imparting a moving force to a moving body and second rails which support and guide the moving body, and that the yoke members couple the rails.
The fifth embodiment allows the first rail to be coupled with the second rails by way of a plurality of yoke members and is capable of moving the moving body along a definite route with the moving force produced by the driving body at an operation stage after completing predetermined assembly. At this stage, the moving body can move stably along the definite route while being supported and guided by the second rails, and the driving body can move smoothly while being supported and guided by the first rail.
Moreover, a sixth preferable embodiment of the present invention is characterized in that a first rail is composed of an I-shaped member disposed at a higher location and second rails are composed of a pair of C-shaped members which are disposed at lower locations and have openings opposed to each other.
The sixth embodiment permits lower edges of upper middle plate portions of intermediate and end yoke members being welded to a top surface of the first rail and allows their lower inside edges of side plate portions to be welded to outside surfaces of the second rails, thereby making it possible to connect the rails easily and speedily, and provide a suspended type carrier equipment having rails connected with high precision.
In addition, a seventh preferable embodiment of the present invention is characterized in that second rails are composed of a pair of C-shaped members which are disposed at lower locations and have openings opposed to each other, and that yoke members have inwardly protruding portions which are brought into contact with top surfaces of second rails.
The seventh embodiment which adopts the configuration comprising the additional protruding portions allows the intermediate and end yoke members to be brought into contact with the second rails in two directions and for longer distances, thereby coupling the intermediate and end yoke members with the second rails with higher strength.
For accomplishing the second object described above, the rail system for carrier equipment according to the present invention comprises an upper rail, a pair of lower rails and gate-shaped yoke members disposed at predetermined locations for connecting the rails, characterized in that the upper rail is coupled with the yoke members by way of bolts studded on a top surface of the upper rail and the lower rails are coupled with the yoke members by way of fixing implements passing through the lower rails.
In the configuration described above, bolts are studded at predetermined locations on a top plate portion of the upper rail, slots for the fixing implements are formed at predetermined locations in side plate portions of the lower rails, and slots for the stud bolts and the fixing implements are formed at predetermined locations in coupling pieces of the yoke members before assembling the rail system. For assembling the rail system, the upper rail can be coupled by passing stud bolts from underside through the slots formed in the yoke members and screwing nuts over protruding portions of the stud bolts, and the lower rails can be coupled by communicating the slots formed in the lower rails with those formed in the yoke members and activating the fixing implements.
At this stage, the rails can be connected easily and speedily by way of the yoke members by screwing the nuts. In addition, the bolts can be studded on the upper rail, the slots can be formed in the lower rails and the yoke members with high precision while handling each members on the ground, whereby the rail system can be assembled with high precision.
The first preferable embodiment of the present invention is characterized in that an upper coupling piece and a pair of right and left lower coupling pieces are formed integrally with a yoke member in the longitudinal direction of the rails, an upper rail is coupled with the upper coupling piece, and lower rails are coupled with the lower coupling pieces.
In the first embodiment, the yoke member can be formed as an integral member by bending the upper and lower coupling pieces. The upper rail can be coupled with the yoke member by way of the stud bolts and the upper coupling piece, and the right and left lower rails can be coupled with the yoke member by way of fixing implements and the lower coupling pieces. Further, each of the coupling pieces can be bent or shaped over the yoke member precisely while handling each yoke member on the ground.
The second preferable embodiment of the present invention is characterized in that an upper coupling member and a pair of lower coupling members are fixed to a yoke member by way of fixing implements, an upper rail is coupled with the upper coupling member by way of stud bolts, and lower rails are coupled with the lower coupling members by way of fixing implements.
In the second embodiment wherein the rails are fixed to the yoke members by way of the upper and lower coupling members, the yoke members can have a simple form and the coupling members can be coupled with the yoke member easily and speedily by way, for example, of fixing implements consisting of bolts and nuts.
The third preferable embodiment of the present invention is characterized in that position adjusting members are interposed at required locations between the upper rail and the yoke member, and between lower rails and the yoke member.
In the third embodiment, a vertical spacing between the upper rail and the lower rails as well as a horizontal spacing between the lower rails can be adjusted with high precision by interposing the position adjusting members having a required length (or in a required quantity) at an assembly stage of the rail system, thereby making it possible to assemble the rails with higher precision by way of the yoke members.
The fourth preferable embodiment of the present invention is characterized in that a carrier equipment is so constructed that a moving body is supported and guided by the lower rails, and a driving body using a chain for supplying a moving force to the moving body is supported and guided by an upper rail.
In the fourth embodiment, the moving body can move along a definite route while receiving a moving force from the driving body at an operation stage after completing predetermined assembly of the rail system and incorporation of the carrier equipment. The fourth embodiment makes it possible to prevent the moving body from being brought into contact with exposed portions of the fixing implements due to swing and move it stably along the definite route since the moving body is supported and guided while being fitted between the lower rails. Further, the driving body can move smooth without bringing its rollers into contact with other members such as coupling means even if the driving body vibrates (or swings) within a restricted range while it is moving in the condition where it is supported and guided by the upper rail since stud bolts which are not exposed inside are used as coupling means for the upper rail.
The fifth preferable embodiment of the present invention is characterized in that an upper rail is composed of an I-shaped member and a pair of lower rails are composed of C-shaped members having openings opposed to each other.
The fifth embodiment makes it possible to assemble a most preferable rail system for carrier equipment with high precision.